Tiramisu Layer Cake; espresso-soaked vanilla cake layered up with rich mascarpone frosting, brownie chunks, and a dusting of cocoa powder, just like the classic Italian dessert!
If there’s anything us Brits are good at, it’s the complete and utter destruction of another country’s cuisine.
It may be China, India, Mexico or, in today’s case, Italy.
British-Italian food is usually a disaster of excess, in both ingredients or in quantity. Double-cream drowned bacon and spaghetti compared to the delicate tangle of rich eggy Carbonara. Cheddar covered tomato sludge instead of the carefully crafted layers of baked Lasagne. Piled portions in place of many courses of fresh and light ingredients.
Today I am perpetuating this disgraceful tradition in the creation of a Tiramisu Layer Cake.
The Tiramisu is a classic dish of the Veneto region, where my lovely Francesco is from. Speaking of which, you can find his excellent tiramisu and other Italian dishes, or even learn how to make fresh pasta, right here.
Since the mid 20th century, Tiramisu has been made using savoiardi biscuits, coffee, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder. It is a dreamy warm-weather dessert, offering both lightness and richness in each mouthful. Similar to Bavarian cakes or French charlottes, it’s a treat that never really faded from popularity, even as it became less modern. Today’s recipe for this Tiramisu Layer Cake, is a big thank you to Venetians for creating such a banger.
Vanilla cake, sprinkled with sugar before baking to mimic the sweet exterior of savoiardi biscuits. Freshly brewed espresso from Steampunk, spooned and brushed over the crisp sugar crust of the cake. Creamy mascarpone frosting, rich with egg yolks, whipped and spread thickly between the cake layers. Chewy little brownie chunks, made with Willie’s Cacao chocolate. A dusting of dark cocoa powder.
This Tiramisu cake is a big rustic chocolate and coffee lover’s dream. A wonderfully luxurious slice to be eaten with a cappuccino. Just a bloody lovely thing, really.
It mimics the refreshing airiness of a tiramisu, while also indulging you with the richness of a big American-style layer cake.
The cake pictured has been baked and layered up Momofuku Milk Bar style. This method bakes the cake in a wide baking tray before stamping it out and layering everything up inside an acetate-lined cake ring. However, most people don’t have the patience or equipment to faff around with this method so I’ve included instructions to bake this into a 2-layer regular sandwich cake as well.
This Tiramisu Layer Cake may not be the simplest of bakes, but it is most definitely worth the effort you put in. Its contrast of flavours, textures and colours are a sheer delight to make and devour. It will also be a welcome reward for you, waiting in the fridge whenever you need a chilled refreshing bite on these warmer afternoons.
I hope you are all staying well, and that this recipe can brighten what may still be a dull time for many of us. Stay safe, and thank you as always.
Want to save this Tiramisu Layer Cake for later? Pin the image below!
To make this Tiramisu Layer Cake, simply follow the recipe below!
Tiramisu Layer Cake
Notes
BE A MAVERICK: why not add a little booze, such as marsala or amaretto, to the espresso before brushing it over the cake?
This Tiramisu Layer Cake should be kept in the fridge to keep it fresh, it should keep well for up to 3 days.
If not assembling using a cake ring and acetate like I did, simply bake the cake in two round 15cm (6 inch) cake tins. You can then layer it up and decorate with the frosting and crumbs as you please!
Ingredients
For the vanilla cake:
- 200g (13 tbsp) soft salted butter or margarine
- 200g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 200g (1 ¾ cups) self-raising flour
For the frosting:
- 200g (13 tbsp) salted butter
- 250g (1 ¼ cup) icing sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 100g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 100g (3 oz) mascarpone
To assemble:
- 2 shots of espresso (or 2 tbsp instant coffee mixed with 3 tbsp hot water)
- Brownie chunks, dark chocolate shavings, cocoa powder or other chocolatey decorations
Instructions
For the vanilla cake:
- Preheat your oven – 180 C / 160 C fan / 350 F / gas mark 4.
- Grease and line a 25cm x 31cm (10in x 12in) baking tray or roasting tin. If not assembling using a cake ring and acetate like I did, simply bake the cake in two round 15cm (6in) cake tins.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter/margarine, vanilla and 180g of the sugar until fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each.
- Gently stir in the flour until just combined into a smooth cake batter.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared tray and smooth it out.
- Sprinkle the remaining 20g of caster sugar over the tray of cake batter. This helps form a nice crust, and mimics classic tiramisu savoiardi biscuits.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until risen, golden and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should be removed cleanly once it is baked.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, make your frosting.
For the frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat your butter and and icing sugar together vigorously for a few minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Crack your egg yolks into a separate large bowl, pour in the caster sugar.
- Use an electric whisk or stand mixer to whip the eggs and sugar for 3 minutes, or until combined into a thick, airy mixture.
- Add the mascarpone and continue to whisk for a further 2 minutes.
- Whisk the mascarpone mixture into the butter mixture until you have a smooth and fluffy frosting.
- Time to assemble!
To assemble:
- Once the cake is cool and you have made the frosting, it’s time to assemble!
- (If not assembling using a cake ring and acetate: simply spread the frosting between the two cooled layers of cake with a scattering of brownie chunks or dark chocolate shavings, and repeat the same on top!)
- Use your cake ring (adjusted to 15cm) to cut out two circles of cake. Gather up the scraps as this will form the bottom layer of your cake.
- Clean and dry the cake ring and place it either on a board or the plate you want to serve it on.
- Line the ring with a strip of 7.5cm x 50cm acetate.
- Put the cake scraps inside the ring and use your hand to press them down into a flat even layer. Any leftover scraps are perfect for snacking on while you finish assembling!
- Spoon or brush one-third of your espresso over the flat cake layer.
- Spread one-third of your frosting on top.
- Scatter over a handful of your brownie chunks or chocolate shavings, pressing them down gently into the frosting.
- Repeat the entire assembly process again for the second and third layer. You should have used up all of your frosting.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 2-3 hours until the frosting is firm.
- Gently remove the cake ring, peel off the acetate, and dust over some cocoa powder.
- Enjoy!
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You mentioned that you should have used up all your pecans and frosting near the end of the recipe, yet pecans wasn’t listed a anywhere? Should I add pecans?
Apologies for that! I’d tweaked instructions from my Banoffee Layer Cake, which includes pecans, and had forgotten to delete that part. It’s now been amended. Thanks for pointing it out!!